


Poppa's Kettle

by Oscarsings



Category: Starlight Express - Phillips/Stilgoe/Webber
Genre: hes weird thats all I know, idk is that even a tag
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-09
Updated: 2019-11-09
Packaged: 2021-01-26 01:22:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21365845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oscarsings/pseuds/Oscarsings
Summary: Poppa tells Rusty the tale of how he came to own a busted up old kettle
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	Poppa's Kettle

Poppa always had stories, in fact you couldn’t talk to him without getting one. Whether or not they were all completely true was something widely debated between the freights, but none of them ever felt the need to press the old steamer hard for the answer. 

They all had their favorites, but Rusty’s always had been one Poppa told about how he’d come to own a junky and dented up old kettle.

“Sure it doesn’t look like much” Poppa would lament as he set it on his stove to warm whatever was inside, “But it’s got a hell of a story connected to it.”

Rusty always just smiled when he’d say that. “Why don’t you tell me about it?” He’d respond, getting comfortable where he was so he could listen to it without distraction. 

Maybe Poppa knew about the repetitive process of how this story would start, or maybe not. Even if he did, he’d still play along with it no matter what.

And this is how the story went.

It was the winter of 1886 during what Poppa called “The Golden Age of Steam.” Back when diesel engines hadn’t yet polluted the air with their god awful oil, and Poppa was at the peak of his career as a world champion racer. By that year he’d become a renowned name among those in the racing business. From all corners of the world, be it Germany, the UK, China, and anything in between; they all knew about the Great Poppa Mccoy. There hadn’t been a race yet that he’d entered where he hadn’t come out on top, and this undefeated champion was currently bound for St. Louis on the way to one of those races. 

As Poppa and his racing partner chugged down the rails out of their hometown, the steamer had nothing in his head but the thought of another win. And he didn’t yet know this, but that year would become a landmark in history.

Because that was the year of The Great Kansas Blizzard. 

One thing that the old steamer had drilled into Rusty ever since his eyes had been set on racing was that no matter how smart a racer is, the moment they got to big for their britches would be the moment they’d become the stupidest engine south of the rocky mountains. How did Poppa know that? Simple actually: Experience.

Being a young champion put Poppa on top of the world, and in his eyes that meant he was _ indestructible _. There wasn’t a force in the world that could best him, be it natural or unnatural. He’d never been beaten in a race, so nothing could ever get ahead of him. He could take on the Starlight Express himself and come out made out of the stars himself.

...So that’s why he’d thought he could just ignore the warnings about the oncoming storm. 

“10-13 Poppa, we should turn back”

“What?”

“_ 10-13, _this just ain’t a good idea Chief! The snow’s gonna be hitting us harder than hellfire here soon!” Poppa’s racing partner called up to him. He’d known about the threat of snow, but of course the racer had ignored him. After all, what was the problem with a little cold? Well here was the exact problem, the snow and wind had started getting worse around them, and the snow was so cold it stung when it hit their faces and eyes. “Pretty soon we won’t be able to see the track!”

“Ah c’mon pal have a little back bone!” Poppa laughed the warning off and made a sharp corner that left his friend scrambling to stay on his wheels. 

When he was able to get himself situated again safely on the track, he let out an annoyed breath. “I _ do _ have a backbone, and I’d like to keep it that way without it getting snapped in two! So why don’t we just find a nap trap or somethin’ to turn in for the night, huh? We’ll still get to Missouri in plenty of time, one night won't make no difference.”

Poppa rolled his eyes and made another corner. “You worry too much.”

“Do not! I just don’t want to be put outta commission because _ you _were too thick skulled to take my advice!” 

Just as his partner finished his whining, Poppa felt his own wheels skip and skid on the track after trying to slow down. “Well your advice is about as useful as my breaks right now!”

“...come again?”

“Nothin’! Just shut your trap, we’ll be there soon!” Poppa let out a puff of steam and turned up his fire to keep warm. Despite how confident the engine seemed... he was admittedly now feeling a tad nervous by the sheer speed the snow had covered the ground. In fact he was feeling _ really _nervous.. 

And rightfully so, because soon he would be regretting not taking his pal’s advice to stop when it had been given.

-

“Because your friend got hurt, right Poppa?”

“Hey, who’s tellin’ this story, you or me?” 

-


End file.
